Barrels for electroplating articles



y 1958 w. E. BELKE Q 2,835,664

BARRELS FOR ELECTROPLATING ARTICLES Filed May 25, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

BY mammal/1 flfforimy May 20, 1958 w. E. BELKE 2,835,554

" BARRELS FOR ELECTROPLATING ARTICLES Filed May 25, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR.

Wz'llz'arri f. Be/kc y 0, 1958 w. E. BELKE 2,835,664

BARRELS FOR ELECTROPLATING ARTICLES Filed May 25, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VEN TOR. I

W 171mm )5 Eelke United States Patent '0 BARRELS FOR ELECTROPLATING ARTICLES William E. Belke, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Belke Manufacturing Co., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application May 25, 1955, Serial No. 510,922

1 Claim. (Cl. 204213) The present invention relates to barrels for electroplating articles, and is particularly concerned with the provision of an improved electroplating barrel which is adapted to insure the uniform electroplating of all of the surfaces of the articles contained therein.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of an improved electroplating barrel which is adapted to turn the articles contained therein over and over as it rotates, and which is also adapted tocause the contained articles to progress from one end of the barrel to the other, while turning the articles over and over endwise to accomplish a random displacement and distribution of the articles to be electroplated so that they will be subjected to electroplating uniformly on all sides.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved electroplating barrel which is simple in construction, durable, adapted to be manufactured economically, capable of withstanding the action of acids and tion of the articles to be electroplated in a new and different manner.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved electroplating barrel having a simple geometric form and provided with parallel ends adapted to be provided with aligned bearings, but having the barrel portion skewed or attached to the end plates at a common angle so that both ends of the barrel are eccentrically located with respect to the bearings, causing a wobbling motion of the barrel, which produces a very elfective intermingling of the articles to be electroplated with other articles and with the electroplating solution.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved eccentrically mounted electroplating barrel which may be embodied in barrels of the Lucite type having an integrally bent side wall or in barrels of hard rubber, or other materials having a plurality of panels mounted between longitudinally extending struts.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which similar characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the four sheets of drawings accompanying this specification, a

Fig. l is a top plan view of an electroplating barrel assembly embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the,same;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the plane of the line 33 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

ice

environment, comprising an insulating tank 10, electro plating solution 11, the second electrode 12, and the I barrel assembly 13.

The barrel assembly rests upon a metal rod 14, serving as a bus-bar for connecting the electrodes 15 and 16 of the barrel in circuit and is also supported upon a second bar 17.

The electroplating barrel assembly, indicated in its entirety by the numeral 13, is mounted upon a frame, comprising a pair of supporting plates 18, 19 of suitable insulating material, such as the transparent plastic sold under the name Lucite. Various types of insulating materials may be employed, but Lucite is preferred for the reason that it is inert to various chemicals and reagents and is unaffected by theelectrolytes which are used in electroplating.

The supporting plates-18 and 19 are preferably rectangular and are provided with stable bottom edges 20, shown in Fig. 4, so that the assembly may be lifted from the tank and supported on these bottom edges, while the barrel is being filled or emptied.

The end plates 18 and 19 are secured together by a plurality of spacer rods 21, 22, 23, which hold the two plates in parallel spaced relation and provide a rigid framework. The rods 21 and 23 are relatively heavy, rectangular rods with reduced threaded end portions 24 carrying nuts 25 with washers that clamp each plate against the annular shoulder 26.

The tie rods 21 and 23 are heavier because they also support the drive motor, reducing gearing, and control switch. The upper tie rod 22 may be a smaller, round rod, having the threaded end portions 26, which carry fiber washers 27 on each side of each plate and a pair of nuts 28, 29. This permits the effective length of the upper rod 22 to be adjusted by means of the threads and nuts to assure the parallelism of the end plates 18 and 19.

The supporting rods 21 and 23 carry an insulating plastic or fiber plate 30, which is secured to these rods by a plurality of through screw bolts 31 threaded into threaded apertures in the rods 23, providing a platform extending from rod to rod for supporting the driving motor- 32, the gear reduction mechanism 33, and the motor controller or switch 34.

The motor is preferably a small alternating current motor, having a drive shaft which extends into the great reduction housing 33, Where it engages a worm gear by means of a worm on the motor shaft and drives the output shaft 35 at a reduced speed.

The output shaft 35 carries a Lucite pinion 36 secured thereto by a key 37 and adapted to drive an intermediate Lucite gear 38. The intermediate gear 38 is provided with a Lucite trunnion cemented to the gear, which is adapted to rotate in a bore 40 in the end plate 18. The gear is held in place by a screw bolt 41, having its threaded shank 42 extending through the gear and trunnion and provided with a nut 43.

The gear 43 comprises a Lucite spur gear of intermediate size for engaging the teeth 44 on the gear which forms an integral part of the end wall 45 of the electroplating barrel 46. The end wall 45 comprises a circular Lucite member preferably provided with a radial flange 46 projecting beyond the teeth 44; and end wall 45 has a central circular recess 47 for receiving the cylindrical trunnion member 48, which has a reduced cylindrical portion 49 journaled in a cylindrical aperture 50 in the end ,plate 18.

The trunnion 48 is integrally cemented in the recess 47 and is centrally located with respect to the gear teeth. The gear 44 may comprise a separate annular member integrally cemented to the end wall 45, which has a 3 circular portion 51 mounted in a circular recess 52 in the gear and provided with a thin flange 46 also cemented to the gear 44.

The trunnion member 48 and end wall 45 have the central through bore 53 for passing the insulated conductor 54, which leads to the electrode 15.

The other end wall 55 of the barrel 46 may comprise a circular plate of Lucite having a central cylindrical recess 56 within which the trunnion member 57 is cemented. Trunnion member 57 has a cylindrical bearing surface 58 mounted in the cylindrical bore 59 in the end plate 19 on the same axis as trunnion 48.

The trunnion 57 and end Wall 55 also have the through bore 60 for a flexible insulated conductor 61 leading to the electrode 16 inside the barrel.

The side walls of the barrel 46 may be of any geometric form, but are preferably formed according to a regular polygon. For example, the side walls of the barrel 46 may comprise a single integral piece of sheet Lucite having the flat sides 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, forming five of the sides of a regular hexagonal prism, which is formed by making easy bends 67 in the sheet at four equally spaced points by subjecting the sheet to heat.

At the door opening 67 the sheet is formed with flat end surfaces 68 adapted to engage a cover 69. The cover comprises a sheet of Lucite having a main body 70 and a pair of curved end flanges 71 and 72 adapted to fit over the flattened surfaces 68 on the side walls 62 and 66 at the opening 67.

The curved flanges 71 and 72 cause the cover to overlap and fit about the door opening.

The end walls 45 and 55 are provided with tapered slots 73 for receiving the tapered ends of the pivoted locking members 74, which are pivotally mounted on a screw bolt 75 threaded into a threaded bore in the cover 69. The slots 73 are so located that when the tapered ends 76 are pivoted into the slots, the cover is locked in position.

The present side wall unit 69 may be initially constructed out of a rectangular sheet of plastic, formed to the hexagonal form, and provided with a cover; but the ends of such a hexagonal unit are cut off at each end on a plane which is at an angle to the axis of the hexagon, the two plane walls being at an angle, but

being parallel to each other and integrally cemented at 77 to each of the end walls 45 and 55.

This locates the ends of the end wall unit 69 in opposite eccentric positions on the end Walls 45 and 55. As will be seen in Fig. 3, the left end of the hexagonal unit is disposed eccentrically and upwardly with respect to the axis of the trunnion 48, while the left end of the hexagonal side wall is disposed eccentrically and downwardly on the wall 55 in Fig. 3.

It should be noted that the projecting circular portions 78 on the end wall 55 merely become surplusage after their center has been located and used for locating the trunnion 57 so that these projecting portions may be eliminated.

The side walls 62-66 and also the cover 69 may be provided with a multiplicity of apertures 79 arranged in a regular pattern or at random for passing the electrolyte into the inside of the barrel into contact with the articles to be electroplated, which articles also engage the electrodes and 16.

The end plates 18 and 19 carry elongated copper bars 85 and 86 secured to the Lucite end plates 18 and 19 by a plurality of through bolts 87, 38, 89, and 90. These elongated copper bars are covered overall with a thick layer 91 of initially plastic insulation, except at the bare end portion 92, which is adapted to engage a bus-bar 14 in a V-shaped groove 93. The elongated bars 85, 86 preferably extend beyond the Lucite plates at the left side in Fig. 4 so that they may serve as handles and so that they may also rest upon the support bar 17 to sup port the barrel in the solution 11.

The insulated flexible conductors 54 and 61 are provided with electrical connectors 94 and 95, which are mounted upon screw bolts threaded into a threaded aperture in each bar or 86 at a point where the insulation is cut away, so that the connectors 94, 95 are in direct electrical connection with the bars 85, 86 and with the bus-bar 14.

Referring to Fig. 5, this is a side elevational view of a modified form of barrel unit 100, of the type having a supporting beam 101, provided with a metal eye 102 to be attached to a hoist conveyor.

The beam carries at each of its ends a depending frame member 103, 104, which may be metal covered with plastic insulation, and the frame members 103, 104 have bearings for rotatably supporting the trunnions 105, 106, carried by barrel 107.

Frame members 103, 104 each carry a pair of longitudinally extending lugs 108, one of which at each end serves as a connection for the flexible conductors 54 and 61, used in the other barrels; and frame member 103 carries a stub shaft 109 with a pinion 110, 111 at each end.

The pinion 111 meshes with a spur gear 112, which is secured to the end wall 113 of the barrel 107, arranged parallel to the frame members 103, 104 and to the opposite end wall 114.

The barrel in this instance may be constructed out of hard rubber, Bakelite, or any of a multiplicity of materials, and preferably has a plurality of flat panels which extend from end wall to end wall and are secured to the end walls by tie rods 116, which extend through the end walls and clamp the end walls on the panels and also on corner struts 117.

According to the present invention, however, this barrel 107 has its axis at 118, and the end wall 113 is eccentrically mounted on trunnion 106, above the axis 118, while the end wall 114 is eccentrically mounted on trunnion 105, below the axis 118.

This makes it necessary to cut 005 all of the panels 115 and corner struts 117, and the tie rods 116 at a suitable angle so that each may be joined to the end walls 1.13, 114 in a proper manner.

Actually, this may be accomplished by building up the barrel 107 with parallel right-angular ends and then cutting off the entire barrel at each end at a bevel corresponding to the angle of the end wall when the barrel is mounted thereon.

In addition to the tie rods 116, the barrel is preferably reinforced by circumferential bands 119, which extend entirely about the barrel and tie rods, and which are suitably bent at the corners of the barrel, and have their ends secured at the strut adjacent the open door of the barrel.

The present barrel operates in the same manner as those previously described which were made with an integral side wall. In addition to rolling the contents of the barrel over and over in a rotary direction, the eccentricity of the barrel causes the contents to be turned over and over from one end toward the other alternately and effectively brings all of the contents and all of the sides thereof into engagement with the electrolyte to effect uniform plating.

Electrodes 15 and 16 extend through the trunnions and engage the articles being plated, as in the previous embodiment.

An electrical circuit is thusestablished through the electrodes 15, 16 to the metal articles being plated and through the solution to the other electrode 1.2.

The operation of my electroplating barrel is as follows:

The barrel is rotated at the usual slow speed; and because of the polygonal arrangement of the side walls 62-66 and 69 the articles will be tumbled over and over as the barrel rotates. The barrel being arranged with its ends eccentn'cally with respect to the trunnions, tic barrel has awobbling motion; and only the middle plane of the barrel rotates on the true axis of the trunnions, while the ends of the barrel rotate eccentrically.

This causes one end to move up when the other end moves down so that the articles inside roll toward the lower end and thereafter again to the opposite end so that the combined rotation and eccentric motion provides for maximum movement and interchange of the articles from place to place in the barrel.

The result is that the articles in the barrel are all electroplated with greater uniformity on all sides; and this is accomplished with a minimum amount of change in the construction of the barrel.

It will thus be observed that I have invented an improved electroplating barrel which is adapted to move the articles from end to end as they are also rolled over and over in the barrel; and there is no place in the barrel where the articles are apt to be left in the same location; but all the articles are exposed to electrolyte on all sides during electroplating.

While I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of all changes within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

An electroplating barrel assembly adapted to improve plating quality and reduce plating time and cost by double oscillating action by moving the Work parts up and down and back and forth and around the contacts, comprising a pair of insulating plates held in parallel spaced relation by threaded spacer rods and secured by nuts on both sides.

of each plate, each of said plates having one of a pair of aligned apertures serving as bearings, a trunnion plug of insulating material having a reduced cylindrical portion rotating in each of said apertures, a pair of parallel end discs of insulating material, each disc having an outer central cylindrical socket in which one of said plugs is cemented, each plug having a through bore with an insulated flexible electric conductor extending through each bore, and having a contact depending to the bottom of the barrel into the pieces of work to be plated at points spaced from the ends of the barrel, one of said parallel discs having a peripheral edge of reduced thickness, and an annular cylindrical edge portion, an insulating gear ring having an annular recess receiving said annular cylindrical edge portion which is cemented therein, a barrel wall, comprising a'sh'eet of insulating plastic, said sheet being formed into polygonal form by bending the sheet at a plurality of parallel equally spaced easy bends to form a regular polygonal prism with one side open, said open side having a cover, the walls of said prism having a multiplicity of through apertures for passage of electrolyte, said prism having its ends beveled on two parallel planes which are at an angle of more than ninety degrees to the axis of the prism, making elongated end apertures in the prism, said end discs being circular and of a diameter greater than the longest dimension of said elongated end apertures, and the beveled ends being cemented to the parallel end disc-s, with the discs in axial alignment, to close the ends of the barrel and locate the beveled ends eccentrically upward and downwardly on the aligned end discs, giving the barrel an eccentric oscillating action between its parallel ends, and causing the work pieces to be plated more uniformly in shorter time and at less cost due to the movement of the pieces away from the ends into proximity to the electric contacts which depend into the work pieces, moving from end to end along the bottom of the barrel.

References Cited in the file of this patent .UNITED STATES PATENTS 71,448 Bruckner Nov. 26, 1867 1,030,053 Catlin June 18, 1912 1,595,108 McCormick Aug. 10, 1926 2,640,025 Lazard May 26, 1953 2,673,076 Colclesser Mar. 23, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 110,248 Great Britain Oct. 18, 1917 39,935 France Dec. 28, 1931 176,411 Great Britain Feb. 24, 1922 882,937 Germany July 13, 1953 OTHER REFERENCES Metal Finishing, November 1949, p. 53. 

